Art of the Northeast, Silvermine’s signature juried show, now in its 66th year, creates each year a new map of the themes, explorations, and preoccupations of the contemporary art world. 2016 AoNE curator Steven Sergiovanni is an art advisor & curator based in New York City and a former director of Mixed Greens, a gallery established in the late 1990s to support emerging artists so they could gain a wider audience. Mixed Greens was known for its approachable and inventive presence in the art world. Art of the Northeast will open on July 9 and will run through August 20. The opening reception is Saturday, July 9, 6-8 pm.

Sergiovanni began his career at Jack Shainman Gallery, and before his tenure at Mixed Greens worked for several galleries including Charles Cowles, Holly Solomon and Andrea Rosen. He is a member of the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) and was the former Vice President of the Board of Directors for Visual AIDS, a contemporary arts organization committed to HIV prevention and AIDS awareness. He is a member of Norwood Club, an arts club in New York City and has been an active member of the TED community since 2004. Sergiovanni holds a B.A. in Art History from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, and an M.A. in Arts Administration from New York University. He regularly speaks at institutions such as FIT, NYU, the Pratt Institute and the New York Academy of Art.

Art of the Northeast highlights the diversity of work that is currently being made in the Northeast by emerging and established artists. The curator had at his discretion the ability to select a suite of three to five works by an individual artist. The Best in Show Prize is a solo exhibition at Silvermine Arts Center with a $3,000 stipend for show-related expenses. The list of 2016 finalists and winners appears below. All finalists are included in the exhibition.

The Maurer Family Foundation Best in Show went to John Small of New York City for his “Noble Past #2,” watercolor and pencil on paper. The Mollie & Albert Jacobson Award for Sculpture went to Rebecca Lowry of Mount Rainier, Maryland. The Carole Eisner Award for Sculpture goes to Ben Rosencrans of Sandy Hook, CT. Jessica Smolinski of New Haven received the Stephen Madwed Memorial Prize for Photography. Jennifer Burbank of Fairfield received an Honorable Mention in Painting, and a Jerry’s Artarama Honorable Mention was awarded to Ronnie Rysz of New Haven.

The Silvermine Galleries are recognized as one of New England’s most respected showcases for established and emerging artists. Frequently changing exhibitions include one-person shows by Guild Artists, national and regional juried competitions, and curated shows including prominent artists such as Christo and Jeanne Claude, Faith Ringgold, Brent Green, Robert Gober, Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison, Kiki Smith, and Jasper Johns.